Absorbent articles employing liquid-permeable top sheets composed of bulked fabrics interspersed with stamped thermal compression areas are known (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-262558). Such absorbent articles that are interspersed with stamped thermal compression areas allow excreted urine to be rapidly absorbed into the top sheet, while also reducing contact area with the skin and minimizing wetness felt by the skin, due to differences in capillarity. The stamped thermal compression areas are interspersed across the entire surface of the top sheet, and the top sheet does not differ between the regions in contact with the site of discharge and the other regions. That is, with the exception of the stamped thermal compression areas, the top sheet has essentially consistent thickness and density across the entire surface.